Molecular investigation of vector-borne parasites in wild micromammals, Barcelona (Spain)

Millán, Javier

doi:10.1007/s00436-018-5971-y

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In the last 25 years, the possible role of rodents in the L. infantum cycle has been assessed in nine countries of the Mediterranean basin, with the highest number of studies being carried out in Iran. Seven studies were performed in more than one of these nine countries (11,14,25,41,44,45,52) (Figure 1B). If the Mediterranean basin is divided into three large geographical areas, Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the latter concentrates the greatest number of studies (Figure 1C).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leishmaniosis in Rodents Caused by Leishmania infantum: A Review of Studies in the Mediterranean Area

2021

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Leishmaniosis infection begins when a phlebotomine sand fly vector inoculates pathogenic protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania into a mammalian host. In the case of Leishmania infantum, the domestic dog is considered to be the main parasite reservoir, and canine leishmaniosis (CanL) has a high mortality rate in untreated dogs. Hundreds of cases of human leishmaniosis (HL) are reported in the world each year, the incidence in Europe being relatively low. Leishmaniosis control is primarily focused on the dog, combining methods that prevent sand fly bites and boost host resistance to infection. However, these measures are only partially effective and new solutions need to be found. One of the main factors limiting CanL and HL control is the existence of a sylvatic Leishmania transmission cycle that interacts with the domestic cycle maintained by dogs. It is suspected that the main reservoir of infection in wildlife are rodents, whose expansion and rapid population growth worldwide is increasing the risk of human and zoonotic pathogen transfer. The aim of this review is therefore to analyze reports in the literature that may shed light on the potential role of rodents in the leishmaniosis transmission cycle in the Mediterranean area. Following the general methodology recommended for reviews, six databases (Google Scholar, Ovid, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science) were explored for the period January 1995 to December 2020. The results extracted from 39 publications that met the established inclusion criteria were analyzed. It was found that 23 species of rodents have been studied in nine countries of the Mediterranean basin. Of the 3,643 specimens studied, 302 tested positive for L. infantum infection by serology, microscopy and/or molecular techniques.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leishmaniosis in Rodents Caused by Leishmania infantum: A Review of Studies in the Mediterranean Area

2021

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“…In Spain, and in addition to domestic dogs, leporids such as rabbits and hares have been demonstrated to be competent reservoirs of the infection (Ortega‐García et al., 2019). Micromammals have been largely believed to play a limited role in the epidemiology of the parasite (Millán, 2018). This concept has been recently challenged by the finding of L. infantum at a high prevalence rate (33%, 28/84) in sewer rats captured in the city of Barcelona (Galán‐Puchades et al., 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Micromammals have been largely believed to play a limited role in the epidemiology of the parasite (Millán, 2018). This concept has been recently challenged by the finding of L. infantum at a high prevalence rate (33%, 28/84) in sewer rats captured in the city of Barcelona infantum in a previous Spanish study (Risueño et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wild micromammal host spectrum of zoonotic eukaryotic parasites in Spain. Occurrence and genetic characterisation

Vioque

Dashti

Santı́n

et al. 2022

Transbounding Emerging Dis

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SUMMARY Micromammals have historically been recognized as highly contentious species in terms of the maintenance and transmission of zoonotic pathogens to humans. Limited information is currently available on the epidemiology and potential public health significance of intestinal eukaryotes in wild micromammals. We examined 490 faecal samples, grouped into 155 pools, obtained from 11 micromammal species captured in 11 Spanish provinces for the presence of DNA from Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Blastocystis sp. The presence of Leishmania spp. was investigated in individual spleen samples. All micromammal species investigated harboured infections by at least one eukaryotic parasite, except Apodemus flavicollis, Myodes glareolus, Sorex coronatus and Sciurus vulgaris, but the sample size for these host species was very low. Cryptosporidium spp. was the most prevalent species found (3.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.2–5.7), followed by G. duodenalis (2.8%, 95% CI: 1.6–4.6) and E. bieneusi (2.6%, 95% CI: 1.4–4.3). All pooled faecal samples tested negative for Blastocystis sp. Leishmania infantum was identified in 0.41% (95% CI: 0.05–1.46) of the 490 individual spleen samples analysed. Sequence analyses allowed the identification of Cryptosporidium andersoni (5.9%), C. ditrichi (11.7%), C. muris (5.9%), C. parvum (5.9%), C. tyzzeri (5.9%), rat genotypes CR97 (5.9%) and W19 (5.9%), vole genotypes V (11.7%) and VII (5.9%) and Cryptosproridium spp. (35.3%) within Cryptosporidium (n = 17). Known genotypes C (66.7%) and Peru11 (25.0%) and a novel genotype (named MouseSpEb1, 8.3%) were detected within E. bieneusi (n = 12). None of the G. duodenalis‐positive samples could be genotyped at the assemblage level. Molecular data indicate that wild micromammals were primarily infected by rodent‐adapted species/genotypes of eukaryotic pathogens and thereby have a limited role as a source of human infections. The presence of ruminant‐adapted species C. andersoni along with finding C. parvum is indicative of an overlap between domestic/peri‐domestic and sylvatic transmission cycles of these agents.

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“…Two different PCR techniques facilitate detection of the parasite (Navea-Pérez et al, 2015;Tsakmakidis et al, 2017). Regarding rodents of the genus Mus, L. infantum has been found in M. musculus specimens in Portugal (10 of 27, 37.0%), Spain (2 of 4, 50.0%) and Greece (16 of 67, 23.9%) (Helhazar et al, 2013;Navea-Pérez et al, 2015;Tsakmakidis et al, 2017), but the parasite has only been found in one M. spretus specimen (4.3% infection prevalence) (Millán, 2018). A comparatively higher prevalence of L. infantum was observed in M. musculus captured in the vicinity of the patient diagnosed with leishmaniasis in the present study (16 of 18, 88.9%).…”

Section: Re Sults and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical transmission may play a greater role in the spread of Leishmania infantum in synanthropic Mus musculus rodents than previously believed

Martı́n-Sánchez

Torres-Medina

Corpas‐López

et al. 2019

Transbound Emerg Dis

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Vertical transmission of Leishmania infantum was demonstrated in domestic mice captured close to the home of a patient with leishmaniasis. Leishmania infantum DNA was detected in 88.9% of synanthropic Mus musculus adult rodents and 29.2% of their unborn foetuses. Mother-to-infant transmission was observed in all females whose gestational stage was sufficiently advanced to allow foetal analysis (foetal length 2-2.5 cm). The infection rate in foetal samples ranged from 11.1% to 50.0%, with parasite loads of up to 6,481 parasites/5 mg tissue. A low density of Phlebotomus perniciosus was also found (0.2 specimen/CDC trap). Six infected mice captured in March were only 1.5 months old and could thus not have had contact with the vector.Vertical transmission thus appears to play a greater role in the spread of leishmaniasis than previously thought, particularly since rodents are natural hosts for the parasite and are prolific in nature. K E Y W O R D S Leishmania infantum, literature review, Mus musculus, natural hosts, vertical transmission S U PP O RTI N G I N FO R M ATI O N Additional supporting information may be found online in the Supporting Information section. How to cite this article: Martín-Sánchez J, Torres-Medina N, Corpas-López V, Morillas-Márquez F, Díaz-Sáez V. Vertical transmission may play a greater role in the spread of Leishmania infantum in synanthropic Mus musculus rodents than previously believed. Transbound Emerg Dis.

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Molecular investigation of vector-borne parasites in wild micromammals, Barcelona (Spain)

Cited by 9 publications

References 26 publications

Leishmaniosis in Rodents Caused by Leishmania infantum: A Review of Studies in the Mediterranean Area

Leishmaniosis in Rodents Caused by Leishmania infantum: A Review of Studies in the Mediterranean Area

Wild micromammal host spectrum of zoonotic eukaryotic parasites in Spain. Occurrence and genetic characterisation

Vertical transmission may play a greater role in the spread of Leishmania infantum in synanthropic Mus musculus rodents than previously believed

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